A variety of compositions containing vinylaromatic compound/conjugated alkadiene block copolymers and selectively hydrogenated derivatives thereof are known wherein other polymeric materials, particularly poly(alkylene) polymers, are also present.
Doss, U.S. 4,138,378, discloses sealant compositions comprising hydrogenated vinylaromatic compound/conjugated alkadiene elastomers, a low molecular weight polyalkylene plasticizer, a modifying resin and an inorganic filler. U.S. 4,176,240 describes a filler material comprising a styrene-butylene.styrene block copolymer dissolved in white mineral oil and polyethylene. Agarwal et al, U.S. 4,361,663, discloses a composition comprising the selectively hydrogenated block copolymer, a polybutylene, a hydrocarbon resin, aliphatic olefinic compounds, cyclic olefins and hydrogenated polycyclic compounds. Hagger, U.S. 4,617,422, shows a filling medium for telecommunication cables comprising a hydrocarbon base including a mineral oil and a polyalkylene soluble therein, the partially hydrogenated block copolymer and a miscible hydrocarbon material.
Chen, U.S. 4,618,213, illustrates gelatinous elastomer compositions comprising a selectively hydrogenated triblock copolymer of styrene and butadiene and an excess by weight of a plasticizing oil. U.S. 4,716,183 discloses adhesive compositions comprising a hydrocarbon oil and a mixture of two selectively hydrogenated styrene/butadiene triblock polymers of particular composition in a particular weight ratio. Gamarra, U.S. 4,942,270, provides cable sealing compositions having a minor proportion of the selectively hydrogenated triblock copolymer and a major proportion of a hydrocarbon oil as plasticizer. In Japanese patent application No. 63213586A there is described a composition containing a triblock copolymer or selectively hydrogenated derivative, a tackifier resin and a plasticizer of wax, low molecular weight polyolefin or liquid hydrocarbon. Japanese Patent Application No. 01065149A describes a composition of an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer, a triblock vinylaromatic compound/conjugated alkadiene polymer and a low molecular weight polyisobutylene plasticizer. In British Patent Specification No. 1,467,463 are disclosed polymeric compositions containing (A) selectively hydrogenated vinylaromatic compound/conjugated alkadiene polymer or ethylene/propylene block copolymer, (B) normally solid polypropylene, (C) hydrocarbon extending oil and (D) petroleum hydrocarbon wax. From British Patent Specification 1, 560,896 it is known to retard extender oil bleedout from selectively hydrogenated block copolymer/polyolefin compositions by using sterically hindered phenols and benzotriazoles.
From trade literature of Shell Chemical Co., particularly Shell Technical Bulletin No. SC 65- 75, blends of selectively hydrogenated styrene/butadiene/styrene block polymers are known where the other blend components are butyl rubber, tackifier, filler and oil. The physical properties of such polymer blends are not shown as desirable.
The above references teach a number of polymeric I0 compositions used for a number of purposes. However, there are many applications of the selectively hydrogenated block copolymers where the compositions of these references are not suitable because of inadequate physical properties, e.g., applications such as elastic films used in the medical area and grips for golf clubs, rackets and fishing rods in the sporting goods field. A principal problem with the compositions of the above references is the loss of the currently used plasticizer oils, as by bleedout, from compositions exposed to heat and/or light during aging with attendant reduction of desirable physical properties. It would be of advantage to have compositions containing the selectively hydrogenated vinylaromatic compound/conjugated alkadiene block copolymers which exhibit and retain improved physical properties.